


Hocus Pocus

by blackjackcat



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2020-10-18 05:16:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20633696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackjackcat/pseuds/blackjackcat
Summary: Trowa's annual Autumn obsession requires assistance this year. Quatre doesn't suspect a thing.





	1. Free For Fall

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lil_1337](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_1337/gifts).
**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quatre's invitation is more revealing than Duo expects.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by lil_1337, Trowa likes Fall flavors the best  
Many thanks to my local crafts store for inspiration.  
Content: Leaves, pumpkins, spice and innuendo.

Duo looked over the pumpkins artfully stacked beside the entrance, the wreath full of autumn color on the door, and the sign leaning against a hay bale declaring boldly that fall was made of pumpkin spice and everything nice. He shook his head and knocked, then almost took a step back when Quatre answered the door with a grin, “Duo!” Acorns decorated his tie.

“Wow, Quat.” The scent of cinnamon, pumpkin and spice was nearly overpowering. He eyed the shirt and tie that Winner was wearing, having just gotten in, and asked though he couldn’t picture it. “Baking?”

Quatre snorted, “Tea is the height of my culinary experiments.” He stepped back, opening the door wider to let his friend in, and revealing even more autumn embellishments inside. “It’s not me.”

Glancing around the house, Duo had to appreciate the amount of work it must be taking Quatre and his staff to decorate. A garland of, Duo bent closer to inspect, hand painted wooden pumpkins wrapped around the entire banister leading to the second and third floor. Each face was different and just as expressive as the next.

Following Quatre into the living room, Duo gaped at the amount of boxes stacked against one wall. “Looks like we’re only about half done.” 

“Half?” Duo gestured at the decorations that decorated the expansive space. More garlands and signs decorated the walls. Ceramic black cats and autumn leaves vied for position among real pumpkins of varying sizes on the edges of tables and shelves. The coffee table itself, usually home to Duo and Trowa’s scuffed boot marks, had been buffed to a shine and was now covered in a scattering of maple leaves from, what Duo assumed, came from Quatre’s trees outside. A pumpkin shaped bowl full of apples graced the center of the table. Most of it Duo recognized from last year. “Are you  _ adding _ to the collection?”

Every year Duo thought he’d finally seen the extent of Quatre’s love for the season and every year, Winner continued to surprise him. He’d call it too much, but the work and craftsmanship of each piece and display was always artfully done. He understood his friend’s love for the seasons. It was one of the things he missed the most himself when he went back to the colonies; the authenticity of Earth.

Stepping around a box, Quatre shrugged. “We may be better off in my office.”

“Lead the way then.” Duo grinned as Quatre set off down the hall, stepping around boxes and even ducking once beneath a partially hung string of dried corn and pine cones. 

Quatre’s office was a bit milder, due partially, Duo thought, to the sheer amount of papers, folders and books that covered nearly every available surface. Only a few decorations graced his desk. Wooden boxes of various shape and size, each hand painted with their own autumn espoused message, clustered at either end of Quatre’s mahogany monstrosity.

Duo raised a brow at the explicitness of some of the declarations.  _ I put a spell on you, and now you’re mine. Pumpkin kisses and autumn wishes. _ And his personal favorite,  _ If the witch ain't happy, ain’t nobody happy. _ He had to grin at that one. 

“I did not pick that.” Quatre’s voice broke through his perusal, before his friend concluded in a tired voice. “Nor am I going to dress as one for Halloween.”

“I didn’t say anything.” Duo said completely straight faced.

Quatre leveled a pen at Duo, it’s threat softened by the tiny jack o’lantern gracing the top, “You didn’t have to.” 

The pumpkins surprised expression broke Duo’s careful mask and he laughed. “Been getting that joke a lot?”

“From nearly every person that’s been here.” Quatre dropped the pen onto a stack of papers and sighed.

“Why not turn it around then?” 

Duo’s curiosity piqued as Quatre nearly blushed, “I can’t.”

“Lesser of two wickeds?” Duo drawled, then grinned as Quatre shuffled papers that had already been meticulously stacked. “You called me here for a reason then?” He relented, giving Quatre a break.

“Yes, about that.” 

They were interrupted as the office door opened and Trowa stepped in bearing a tray full of steam, sugar and spice. 

Duo gaped.

Flour and cocoa dusted the apron Trowa wore over his usual black clothes. He set the tray down on the free spot Quatre had made on his desk and said simply to the blonde, “Try them and let me know your thoughts.” He gave Duo a single nod and left them, closing the door firmly behind him.

Quatre picked up a cookie that smelled more like cinnamon than cloves and watched as Trowa’s brief appearance sank in. 

“Does he-”

“Yes.”

“And all the-”

“As well.”

“Every year-”

“Without fail.”

Quatre offered a duplicate of the spiced cookie to Duo and watched his friend take a bite, then glance over at the tray in shock. Various breads, desserts and what Quatre could only assume was Trowa’s latest ciders, he hoped for Duo’s sake they were hard, covered the tray. 

“Trowa has a project in mind.” Quatre said, seizing on Duo’s stunned silence as opportunity. “But he’s encountered a few technical difficulties that fall into the category of your expertise.”

“And that’s why I’m here.” Duo brandished the remaining half of the cookie. “Finally learning about Trowa’s secret other life.”

Quatre chuckled but failed to suppress a smirk, “Hardly Duo.”

Seeing his friend considering the tray, Quatre casually offered, “I’m sure it’ll be just the one project.”

Duo selected a slice of what Quatre guessed was cinnamon apple bread, and brandished it like a wand. “Boo sheet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday the 13th. ;3


	2. When In Doubt, Pumpkins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quatre's plan to deter Duo's antics goes a bit astray.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by lil_1337, Duo: "Do I look stoned on pumpkin spice to you?"  
In no way do I support Duo's concept of food hygiene and safety.  
Content: Spices, baking & gunpowder.

Quatre scrutinized the singed edges of Duo’s sleeve with a critical eye. After seeing the ruins and miniature craters strewn across his garage floor, he’d suggested that Trowa and Duo take a break from their mechanical interests for the day and focus instead on a culinary one.

He’d nearly come to regret that decision. Every counter was strewn with a mash of mixing, bowls, ingredients and experimental products. At this point he couldn’t tell if the black on the edges of Duo’s sleeve was from his trials with the stove or from his earlier experimentation.

Duo caught him looking and grinned, “I changed, I swear.”

Quatre snorted. “I had my doubts.”

Duo looked aghast. “I learned a long time ago that baking and gunpowder don’t mix.” He paused and looked thoughtful, “Except in the most extreme circumstances.”

Quatre raised a brow as Trowa chuckled, still mixing. “You didn’t know that before?”

“I’ve never been picky about food.” Duo shrugged.

“I’m almost worried.” Quatre deadpanned flatly, considering the little he’d ever eaten of Duo’s cooking.

Duo grinned and raised his whisk threateningly, “Nightmares tonight Quat?”

“Not with me.” Trowa said calmly pouring his mix into another pan.

Duo tisked and went back to stirring his own pumpkin mix. After surveying the mess, Quatre had insisted that they rescue what pumpkin they could. In favor of foregoing waste. Duo had been behind the reprocessing until he realized just how much pumpkin there was.

Hooking his feet in the rings of his stool Duo ran an eye over the batches cooling on the kitchen table. Rack after rack of pumpkin cookies, muffins, breads and pies covered every inch and were starting to make their way onto the nearby counters. Glancing at the clock, he realized they had been baking for six hours.

“Hey Quatre.” 

The blonde didn’t even look up from his task of placing muffin liners in yet again cooled pans, “Hmn?”

“Do I look stoned on pumpkin spice to you?” When Quatre looked up, Duo gave his friend his best bleakest stare, letting the mix drip dramatically from his whisk for good measure.

“I think you do.” Trowa spoke up from his corner of the kitchen where he was leaning against the counter and waiting for Quatre to finish. “A bit too clear eyed.”

Duo adjusted his expression.

Trowa nodded, “Better.”

Dropping the last liner in, Quatre shook his head and looked at the remaining pumpkin they still had to deal with. No wonder his wrist hurt. Just looking at the remaining work made him ache further.

“Perhaps we should take a break.” Trowa suggested softly. “There’s time to run what’s done down to the community center.”

Duo checked the clock, “If we start boxing things now.” He slid the finished bowl across the counter towards Quatre. “I’ll help you guys box it so you can run it over. I can stay and watch the last couple batches.”

“ _ No _ ,” Quatre said a little too quickly. “I can do that.” He adjusted his tone and smiled, “You’ve been cooped up inside for hours Duo. You can run it over with Trowa.”

Duo grinned and bounced off his tool, “If you’re sure.”

Quatre snorted and started pouring the batter into pans, “Of course I am. It’s not natural.”

Laughing Duo followed Trowa into the pantry to collect the boxes they needed to deliver their goods.

Quatre finished rationing out the batter and slid the pans in, grateful once again for the double oven Trowa had insisted he may need. At the time he’d thought the amenity a waste, but several years of hosting had made him appreciate the commodity.

“Hey Q,” Duo was back, arms full and was eyeing the still leftover pumpkins with trepidation. “I could probably convince Heero to help us finish that off tomorrow. Tro said you got that big meeting tomorrow.”

“Yes,” Quatre said a bit despondent. It was an important cause and he was behind the project, but he was not looking forward to sitting in a room full of stuffed shirts and arguments for an entire day. Ironically, the battle here was more in his element.

Duo started unfolding the boxes, the scrape of the cardboard bringing Quatre back to the present. He laughed, “Heero? Baking?”

“He’s much better than you’d think.” Duo quipped with a grin, easing a steaming pumpkin pie into a box.

Quatre considered that statement and then applied Duo math, “He taught you not to explode baked goods didn’t he.”

“Ironically, yes.” Duo folded the lid down, beaming cheerfully.

“Ironically?” Quatre asked, despite his better instincts.

Duo’s grin reminded Quatre of the war when his friend had called himself Shinigami. “We started with exploding biscotti.”


	3. One Potato, Two Potato

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Duo seeks a new recruit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by lil_1337, Heero: "Those are my sweet potato fries."  
I blame the tea for this Duo.  
Content: Corn dogs, love and guts.

“When you suggested a date,” Heero glanced around at the grounds. “This wasn’t what I had in mind.”

Duo grinned and took another bite of his corn dog before he replied. “Is it ever?”

Fishing for a crunchier fry, Heero shook his head and smiled. “No.”

They could barely talk over the laughter, machines and calls from the crowd. Duo soaked in the noise for a while, purely enjoying himself before he turned back to Heero. “You never seem to mind.”

“I don’t.” Heero dipped a fry into their mystery sauce and took a considering bite. “We should try to make this at home.”

Duo raised a brow briefly distracted. “It’s that good?”

“You know I like puzzles.” Heero dipped again and tried another bite. 

Duo smiled. “Something you can’t identify?”

“Not quite.”

“That’s probably the fryer. I bet they’ve used the same oil for the last ten years.”

Heero stopped and lowered the fry he was about to pop into his mouth. “Duo, that’s unhygienic.”

“I read it in a book once.”

“And in that, your foundation is established.” Heero quoted back, a half-smile on his face.

Duo grinned and raised a suggestive eyebrow, “It gives the food.. _ flavor _ .”

Heero lowered his fry. “Does it.”

Duo nodded and took another bite before waving a hand at the food stands nearby. “You know, it has to..” He smirked at Heero, “_Marinate_.”

Heero raised a brow. “I’m starting to wonder if you’re still talking about the secret recipe.”

“I’m talking about one.”

Heero chuckled and shook his head, finally giving Duo the laugh he had been aiming for. “And that would be?”

“Friendship.”

“Quatre’s?” Heero asked, sitting up a bit more in his chair. He’d seen the evidence of the groups exploits last week. 

“We have too many guts to dispose of tomorrow and I said you could probably help. You’re good with a spoon.” He saw the look on Heero’s face and grinned. “Pumpkin. Guts.”

“I see.”

While Heero considered it, Duo finished off his corn dog and then reached for a fry. 

Heero caught his finger and pushed Duo’s hand back over to his side of the table. “Those are my sweet potato fries.”

Duo grinned, “Does that mean you’ll help?”

“On one condition.”

Duo laughed, then grinned. “Get more fries?”

Heero rose and Duo followed him. “Of course.”

“Think you can replicate them at home?”

“Once I deal with you and your guts, yes.”

Duo smirked and took Heero’s hand, drawing his love close. “Sounds like a promising night.”


End file.
